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Pumpkin decor and DIY projects have become almost as popular as the ever-versatile Mason jar craft ideas. It is amazing the creative ways that crafty bloggers and artists are decorating pumpkins, and since we went out this afternoon to find a few smallish pumpkins to decorate this weekend, I decided it would be fun to find a few pumpkin ideas that are really different from the typical autumn color and themes that we usually see this time of year. Which was the perfect plan for this week’s Home Matters Party #206, Pumpkin Ideas for Everything! #pumpkin #PumpkinIdeas #HomeMattersParty

Here are just a few of the creative and ingenious ideas I discovered for decorating our pumpkins this year. Hope you are having fun with your autumn home decor and that you will have time to join us for this week’s Home Matters Party.

Each week, we like to feature some of the awesome posts shared at last week’s party. We hope you will be inspired by these creative and talented bloggers who share their best recipes, DIY projects, crafts, home decor, organization ideas, and more. Enjoy!

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Home Matters Linky Party Guidelines:

We are thrilled that you came by to link up today! Here are a few rules that hosts and co-hosts of the Home Matters Party follow, and we ask that you follow them, as well.

Please link up no more than THREE posts each week–try to make sure that they are new links that you have not shared here previously. (Exception: Holiday/Seasonal specific posts may be shared once per year.)

Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.

Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.

We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.

We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.

On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)

With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!

Link Up!

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On these chilly, often gray and gloomy, autumn days, it is fun to focus on the joy and beauty of the upcoming holiday season. Here’s a creative (and inexpensive) DIY project that will bring a touch of warmth and light to your home.

This is a super simple and fun DIY that you can do with the kids, too. You can make as many or as few of these charming Victorian Vintage Gingerbread Houses as you want . . . they look beautiful on a windowsill or on a fireplace mantle. All you need is some cardstock, vellum paper, scissors, and glue. That’s it! Check out the short tutorial below and make your very own lovely little gingerbread house village on a chilly autumn afternoon. It will brighten up your home and your heart. I promise!

WHAT YOU NEED:

* 2 sheets of cardstock (8 ½” X 11”) for each gingerbread house

* 1 sheet of translucent vellum paper (with or without design) for each gingerbread house

* Scissors

* Glue

* Exacto knife (or any craft knife with a very sharp blade for cutting out the doors and windows)

* Decorative scrapbook scissors (for cutting the edges of the roof)

* Pattern for gingerbread houses

Step #1: Copy the pattern for one of the gingerbread house designs onto cardstock. You can either print it directly onto cardstock and / or use a white cardstock copy of the pattern to trace onto colored cardstock.

Step #2: Cut out the doors and windows on pattern and then trace those cutting lines onto the colored cardstock.

Step #3: Very carefully cut out the doors and windows on colored cardstock. BE VERY CAREFUL to cut only the inside, top, and bottom of doors or windows that have “shutters” that open and close. All other windows and doors can be cut out completely.

Step #4: When all doors and windows have been cut and folded open, trace the pattern onto the other sheet of colored cardstock to match the front of the gingerbread house.

The back does not need to have the doors and windows cut out unless you will be displaying them where all sides can be seen.

Step #5: Carefully cut the slits on the sides opposite the tabs. Using the edge of a table knife or the edge of scissor handles, very carefully fold the sides along the lines below the roof lines on the front and back of each gingerbread house.

Step #6: When the sides have been folded, cut a sheet of translucent vellum paper to fit inside the front of your gingerbread house and glue in place. When the glue is dry, trim the excess paper around the roof line.

Step #7: Insert the tabs from the front of the gingerbread house into the slits on the back of the gingerbread house; then insert the tabs from the back of the house into the slits on the front of the house to make the “walls” of your gingerbread house. You can tape the tabs in place if necessary.

Step 8: After all of your gingerbread houses have been completed, arrange them on a table top or mantle with fluffy cotton all around and tiny white lights under each cottage to shine out through the doors and windows. Enjoy your beautiful holiday display, and share it with your friends and family!

Remember you can add three links until midnight on Saturday. One each day or all at once. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us. It’s time to party my sweet bloggy friends. You can add three links until midnight on Saturday. One each day or all at once. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us. – Inlinkz has implemented a new policy when you add your link to the list you need to click the little square boxes about their policies on the bottom right.

Isn’t it great to see all the creative ways that people decorate for autumn these days? I love seeing the pretty porch and mantle displays, and I have been so intrigued with the variations on pumpkin decor. This week we are painting pumpkins here at our house so I was looking for a few new ideas, as well as a few more traditional DIY ideas, for pumpkins and here’s what I found. We will be working on our pumpkins tomorrow as the girls are home from school, so we’ll have a day for playing with our pumpkins.

I have a couple of other painting projects to work on as well, before the weather turns too cold, so I’m hoping to work on those projects this week, too. Right now the weather is chilly but it is sunny and dry with not a lot of wind, so that works great for outside projects. We have several mum plants to set in the ground in our ongoing perennial garden project, and I want to get all of the deck furniture put away. The dead plants and leaves will need to be trimmed back so that when the leaves begin to fall we can rake them up easily.

We have a great attachment for our lawn mower that “rakes” the leaves as you mow and “sweeps” them up into a bin which we can then dump in the woods on a big compost pile. I was dreading the annual leaf raking routine until we got this new gadget, so now our lawn looks great every time it is mowed, even if there are a few leaves that have drifted down early. Once the last of the outdoor projects are completed, then we can move back inside to work on the other projects that we have on our never-ending To Do list.

That’s OK, we are making progress and that’s what counts! Here’s to the joy of autumn and the beauty of every day, no matter the weather. I’m ready to paint some pumpkins . . . which ones are your favorite? I’ll show you ours later this week.

Hope you are having a lovely autumn and that you are also having fun creating some DIY home decor. These ideas make me want to get busy and start decorating my pumpkins . . . so, off we go! See you again soon!

Halloween has never been one of my preferred holidays. It might be from going out Trick or Treating as a child in the cold, rainy, gloomy autumn nights, shivering in my improvised costume with an old pillowcase to carry home my treats. Not that we got that many since we lived out in the country, but we would go out and knock on a few doors in our lakeside neighborhood, a few of my girlfriends and I, but we were always ready to run home through the misty darkness to the warmth and light of our own little houses. Or perhaps it is that I don’t like spiders, ghosts, witches, or cobwebs . . . or any of the other scary things that come with this particular time of the year. So we don’t actually do very much in recognition of Halloween . . . but we do like to decorate our home to celebrate the beauty of autumn, and pumpkins are so cheerful and happy, that we always have a few pretty pumpkins around our front door. So for this week’s Home Matters Linky Party #205 with the theme of Halloween ideas, I was looking for some new ideas for making our home festive for the whole month of October. #Halloween #HalloweenIdeas #HomeMattersParty

I love the bright colors of this time of year, especially combined with the black and white plaids and polka dots that I discovered, because they make such a bold statement of happiness at the changing of the seasons. The black and white striped rug, the polka dot pillows, the black and white plaid boots, and the cute black and white wreath just look so cheerful combined with orange and yellow pumpkins. The linen handmade pumpkins are such a soft color, along with the white mums and the ivory candles . . . it just says “Autumn is here!” and that is perfect for our little home and family. Here are the Halloween ideas that I found that I thought would work for our family – and if you aren’t a huge fan of all the goblins, ghosts, witches, spiders, and other creepy crawly things, you might find something here that inspires you as you think about getting your home ready for the autumn days of October.

Each week, we like to feature some of the awesome posts shared at last week’s party. We hope you will be inspired by these creative and talented bloggers who share their best recipes, DIY projects, crafts, home decor, organization ideas, and more. Enjoy!

If you were featured this week, Please Grab our Featured Button to display proudly on your blog post, featured page, or sidebar! Share the joy…

Are you ready to Party?

The linky party starts when Friday begins and closes when Monday ends, EST.

We at Home Matters love meeting new people and discovering new blogs. Help us grow this party by sharing a link on your post or grabbing our party button for your sidebar or party page.

Stop by and VISIT as many OTHER BLOGGERS as you can. Leave them a message, and share their talents on social media.

Be sure to Please USE our Registered Hashtag…

Home Matters Linky Party Guidelines:

We are thrilled that you came by to link up today! Here are a few rules that hosts and co-hosts of the Home Matters Party follow, and we ask that you follow them, as well.

Please link up no more than THREE posts each week–try to make sure that they are new links that you have not shared here previously. (Exception: Holiday/Seasonal specific posts may be shared once per year.)

Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.

Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.

We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.

We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.

On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)

With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!

Link Up!

By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, and across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source. Also, you will receive a weekly email reminder regarding the new week’s Home Matters Linky Party.

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Even through today it still feels like summer outside my kitchen door, I know that the brisk breezes of autumn are just around the corner. There are the pumpkins and the pretty mums huddled together on the deck and the beautiful autumn wreath hangs on my newly painted door, but it won’t be long before the snow descends, covering it all with a silent cloak of white. Perhaps that realization is what makes me feel a little bit like I did back in the early days of spring . . . time to get the house ready for the next season and organize my life. All of which can be challenging when you are still trying to finish up those last few outdoor projects that need to be wrapped up before winter. But somehow, I’m ready to start organizing my October.

When you walk into a store and see the Christmas decorations already sparkling in the twinkling lights on pre-decorated trees, there is a sudden sense of panic. Did I miss it already? But then, you look around and see that, no, you haven’t missed anything . . . yet! On one aisle there are pumpkins and scarecrows, spooky and funny masks, children’s Halloween costumes, and ghoulish yard displays. Since we don’t really pay much attention to Halloween, our autumn themes tend to be more focused on the beauty of the changing seasons and the harvest that we see all around us here in the cornfields and farm lands of northern Indiana.

But just across the way there is a whole array of Thanksgiving home decor, paper plates, cups, napkins, and festive banners with turkeys trotting across them all. More displays of bales of hay with artificial autumn-hued leaves and plastic pumpkins remind me that before we’ve even had time to appreciate the wonderful blessings of autumn, we’re already preparing Thanksgiving dinner. One can even spend hard-earned money buying kitchen towels, rugs, tablecloths, napkins, placemats, and table runners that feature more trotting turkeys. But don’t slow down too long to think about the blessings for which we are thankful!

Because just around the corner you will suddenly find yourself in a holiday / Christmas / winter wonderland where you will be mesmerized by all of the dazzle of ornaments, trees, stockings, wrapping paper / boxes / bows, blinking signs and animated reindeer and Santas telling you what you NEED to buy today. More and more and more stuff to pile under a tree, then shove into the back of a closet or dresser drawer once December has finally come and gone. Today it is still early October, and I refuse to be badgered into wishing my life away for the next three months!

I’ve decided that I am going to focus this week on getting my life, my schedule, my home, and my heart organized, not just for the rest of October, but for the rest of 2018. I am determined that I won’t be rushed through every day at break-neck speed, trying to do everything that the noise all around me tells me I must do if I want a “Merry Christmas” or if we want our family to have “Happy Holidays.” I’ve decided that we are going to have a “Merry TODAY,” and “Happy THIS MOMENT,” and get off the spinning treadmill that dictates what this time of year SHOULD look like. We are going to paint our own picture of autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the holidays, and the rest of the winter, according to our own design.

So, for right now, I’m working on organizing my October. There are a few things that are necessary – dr. and dentist appointments, work obligations, school events, and a few other activities that we have committed to, but I’m taking back my time and dedicating it to doing what is best for my family and for myself, on a daily basis. No more rushing, pushing, calculating how to get a million things crammed into every day. I might even take a walk or go for a bike ride.

Because when the days turn cold and the leaves have drifted peacefully to the ground, I want to be ready to really experience the beauty of autumn. We will rake up the leaves, and clean out the garden; we will prepare the yard for snow, and we will make sure our home is warm and cozy when the winds of winter howl around the corners. And then we will take slow down and rediscover the joy, the beauty, and the wonder of Christmas when we celebrate the true meaning of peace on Earth, goodwill to all men and women.

Making time and taking time to hold each moment as a treasure. That’s why I’m organizing my October . . . so I don’t wake up in January and realize that, yes, I did miss it all. Because I was so frantically busy, I just didn’t have a chance to look around at the beauty of each day. How about you? Do you love this time of year, or do you begin to feel pressured and panicked just thinking about everything you will need to do for the upcoming holiday season? I’ll try to remind you every week that it’s OK to take a deep breath and celebrate the moment. Hope you are having a good week so far!

It’s apple harvest time around here, so this is the perfect time for this week’s Home matters Linky Party #203 and the them of apple ideas. Since I don’t do a lot of baking anymore, I wasn’t really looking for recipes . . . but I did come across one that looked like something my family would like. I was actually looking for more ideas for outdoor wreaths, but I didn’t really find anything that I liked so I decided to search for other ideas for this week’s round-up. Here’s what I came up with! #Apple #AppleIdeas #HomeMattersParty

Each week, we like to feature some of the awesome posts shared at last week’s party. We hope you will be inspired by these creative and talented bloggers who share their best recipes, DIY projects, crafts, home decor, organization ideas, and more. Enjoy!

If you were featured this week, Please Grab our Featured Button to display proudly on your blog post, featured page, or sidebar! Share the joy…

Are you ready to Party?

The linky party starts when Friday begins and closes when Monday ends, EST.

We at Home Matters love meeting new people and discovering new blogs. Help us grow this party by sharing a link on your post or grabbing our party button for your sidebar or party page.

Stop by and VISIT as many OTHER BLOGGERS as you can. Leave them a message, and share their talents on social media.

Be sure to Please USE our Registered Hashtag…

Home Matters Linky Party Guidelines:

We are thrilled that you came by to link up today! Here are a few rules that hosts and co-hosts of the Home Matters Party follow, and we ask that you follow them, as well.

Please link up no more than THREE posts each week–try to make sure that they are new links that you have not shared here previously. (Exception: Holiday/Seasonal specific posts may be shared once per year.)

Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.

Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.

We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.

We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.

On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)

With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!

Link Up!

By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, and across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source. Also, you will receive a weekly email reminder regarding the new week’s Home Matters Linky Party.

Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.

Don’t have a blog, but want to Remember to Party With Us each week?
Forgot to leave your email while linking up your post?
You can still sign up for our Email Party Reminders. Click below for a form…

Disclaimer from Katherines Corner-Some of Katherines giveaways have sponsors, Katherines Corner may receive compensation for reviews and advertising provided through a sponsored giveaway. However, no compensation will influence the outcome of any review or giveaway win. Katherines Corner provides reviews to readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. Katherines Corner and its affiliate Bobskatie Enterprises reserves the right to not publish a review of a product or products that do not meet the specified instructions provided to product submission companies or individuals. Reviews are posted in the appropriate section at Katherines Corner and also at Amazon.com ( subject to products availability) This in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Now that we finally have our deck door painted, I need a wreath to hang up. But I really have been looking for one that is more neutral colors instead of the bright oranges and browns that we usually see this time of year. Here are a few ideas that I’ve found with tutorials to help me make my own autumn wreath. I hope I can work on at least one this weekend. Since we have two doors on the front of our house, I am also hoping to get the kitchen door painted soon, and one of these fall wreaths will be great on my bright turquoise doors. Which one do you like best? Be sure to visit the original blog posts where you can find the tutorials if you want to make your own DIY autumn wreath. Happy crafting!

Remember you can add three links until midnight on Saturday. One each day or all at once. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us. It’s time to party my sweet bloggy friends. You can add three links until midnight on Saturday. One each day or all at once. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us. – Inlinkz has implemented a new policy when you add your link to the list you need to click the little square boxes about their policies on the bottom right.